Severe Depression Relieved: Treatment Testimonial

Severe Depression Relieved: Treatment Testimonial
Written by: Kimberly, Dr.T's patientDr.T's thoughts are offered at the end of her article.

"...As I wrote this article, tears came to my eyes many times because for the first time in my life, I am enjoying life versus being buried by it. The first time I saw you, I was feeling like I was at the end of a very long rope. I was taking five different antidepressants every day yet my depression was not relieved and the doctors I was seeing were at a loss, being unable to help me. My desperation was so overwhelming and I was so
scared about what was going to happen to me if you would not have been able to help me. Thank you for helping me change my life. I would not be here now nor writing an article if not for your help. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"...

"During depression the world disappears. Language itself. One has nothing to say. Nothing. No small talk, no anecdotes. Nothing can be risked on the board of talk. Because the inner voice is so urgent in its own discourse. How shall I live? How shall I manage in the future? Why should I go on? There is nothing ahead, my powers are failing. I am aging . . . And in the face of this evil - not even to have words to protect one from the vacuum. To grow mute as well as hopeless." -Kate Millet

Depression. The word itself carries an intimidating, gloomy, heavy, raw, isolating tone and meaning. Approximately twelve million people suffer from depression each year. It is also estimated that the combination of treatment and loss of productivity of someone with depression cost Americans $44 billion a year. Depression was once called the "common cold" of psychology, but more accurately, now, is being defined as a chemical imbalance or a serotonin deficiency in the brain. An episode with depression can last anywhere from 2 weeks, to a month, to 6 months, to 24 months or more. After an initial episode, the chances one has in another episode jumps to 50% with 4 to 8 episodes being an average.

My experience with depression's darkness dates back to my adolescents with many episodes that carried through to my adulthood. I am a 28-year-old woman with many memories of my childhood, teen and young adult years being nothing more of wondering when the pain of my every day life would end. I had always been perceived as a bright student who got along with everyone, intelligent and always smiling. No one knew how desperate my pleas were some nights to God about not wanting to wake up in the morning.

Through the course of my college years and career after college, I struggled through an abusive relationship, abused alcohol and experienced suicidal episodes. During those years, I had sought the help of a therapist who walked with me through this journey and provided hope when I could not find any. I had started seeing a number of psychiatrists who always offered higher dosages and cocktail combinations of antidepressants. My diagnosis changed from depression to bipolar depression. I had also started to grow physically sick and collapsed from what I attributed to the effects of the antidepressants.

About a year ago, I had started reading, researching and talking with people about alternative, holistic methods in treating illnesses, specifically depression. Through much consideration and prayer, I sought out the help of doctor Tel-Oren in Minneapolis. His experience and his unique approach have helped me put my life on a completely different course. With the support of Dr. Tel-Oren and his staff, I started reducing the dosages of the antidepressants, while changing my diet and using natural non-addictive and non-toxic alternatives prescribed by him, until I was completely off the drugs. Based on the concept of looking for the reason I was suffering from depression versus putting Band-Aids on the depression with antidepressants, I soon started to learn what my body was lacking which was causing a chemical imbalance in my brain. I found myself learning about my body's chemistry and what I needed to do to keep myself healthy. I was in control of doing what I needed to do to live a better life.

It has been almost a year since then and my whole life has changed, from wearing brighter clothes, to changing jobs, to more fulfilling friendships and a greater spirituality. I now look at the potential each day has and I am so thankful to be experiencing the gift of life, the gift I had almost rejected numerous time before.

Depression carries much suffering, shame, embarrassment, isolation and pain. It is an illness some people truly understand and others find burdensome, irritating, annoying and frustrating. Unfortunately, it is not as easy as pulling oneself up from the boat straps otherwise there would be no such thing as depression. It is not always a choice to feel depression, but there is a choice in looking for ways to integrate it into one's life versus being buried by it. I don't consider myself healed from depression. I now know what my body needs in order to keep the depression in its place. I am also much more aware of how my body works, what it needs and how to take care of it. Depression is no longer my sole identity nor is it something that keeps me stuck in my pain, isolating me from the potential each day carries with it.

My hope is for anyone wondering if there is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel built by depression to read this and seriously consider looking into alternative natural means to treating this illness. Your body is going to be with you for your whole life and it is worth learning about what your body needs to maximize the quality of your life. Life is not as difficult as depression leads one to believe. The light at the end of the tunnel is worth the struggle. If not for Dr. Tel-Oren and his teachings, I might have never seen this light.

Dr. T's Thoughts:

Several years have passed since my patient Kimberly wrote this article, but it is still as fresh and relevant today as it was then. If anything, the epidemic of major depression has only worsened since then, affecting more young adults and children then ever before. And the many factors responsible for this disorder are still being ignored by the medical establishment. The expensive, toxic, often-ineffective drugs can never address the nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances caused by birth-control pills and other drugs, Vitamin D deficiency caused by insufficient sun exposure, toxins in our food and water, air pollution, improper dietary choices (fast food is just the tip of the iceberg!), addictive behaviors that deplete our cells while artificially stimulating or numbing our brains, electrical pollution, digestive dysfunction/imbalance and toxic bowels, and other causes of brain dysfunction. To properly address depression (and other mental disorders) a comprehensive program should be instituted, starting with appropriate diagnosis of causative elements and ending with treatments that are practical and specific to the findings.

Also, many social factors must be addressed. Many of these topics are thoroughly covered in the next CD from Ecopolitan's Tuesday lecture series, titled- "Can We Prevent and Treat Mood Disorders Naturally?", available within a few weeks at Ecopolitan.